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Artist.......: Ben Harper and Relentless7
Album........: Live From The Montreal International Jazz Festival
Label........: Virgin
Genre........: Rock
Catnr........: n/a
Source.......: CD (LP)
Rip.date.....: 2010-03-08
Str.date.....: 2010-03-08
Quality......: 199kbps/44.1kHz/Joint Stereo
Url..........: http://www.benharper.com/
track title time
1. Faster Slower Disappear Come Around 4:36
2. Number With No Name 3:50
3. Shimmer & Shine 3:20
4. Lay There & Hate Me 6:24
5. Why Must You Always Dress In Black 6:51
6. Red House 3:49
7. Another Lonely Day 4:18
8. Keep It Together (So I Can Fall Apart) 11:56
9. Boots Like These 7:57
10. Under Pressure 4:27
11. Up To You Now 6:05
12. Faithfully Remain 4:13
13. Serve Your Soul 11:47
Runtime 79:33
Size 113.88
Release Notes:
Combining shuddering, groove-laden funky soul and folky
handcrafted acoustics, singer/songwriter Ben Harper
enjoyed cult status during the course of the '90s before
gaining wider attention toward the decade's end. As a
young artist, Harper combined elements of classic
singer/songwriters, blues revivalists, Jimi Hendrix, and
such '90s jam bands as Blues Traveler and Phish, which
meant that he was embraced by critics and college kids
alike. Despite the commercial success of the radio single
"Steal My Kisses" in 2000, Harper continued to explore
different musical textures into the 21st century, enjoying
a solid fan base at home and a considerable amount of fame
in Europe, where was named 2003's "Artist of the Year" by
the French branch of Rolling Stone.
A native of California, Harper grew up listening to blues,
folk, soul, R&B, and reggae. He started playing guitar as
a child, and began to perform regularly as a preteen.
During his adolescence, he turned toward acoustic slide
guitar, which would eventually become his signature
instrument. Harper scored a deal with Virgin Records in
1992 after a steady schedule of shows in the L.A. area;
two years later, he released his debut album, Welcome to
the Cruel World, to positive reviews.
Released in 1995, the politically heavy Fight for Your
Mind made for a strong sophomore effort, an obvious growth
in musical experimentation and individual declamation. It
was also the songwriter's first record to later reach gold
status. Harper's third album, 1997's The Will to Live,
pushed his blues-oriented alternative folk into the middle
mainstream, becoming a mainstay at college radio and
making inroads at adult alternative radio. Recorded over
two years of touring in support of Fight for Your Mind,
The Will to Live also introduced the Innocent Criminals,
Harper's supporting band. The Innocent Criminals --
bassist Juan Nelson, drummer Dean Butterworth, and
percussionist David Leach -- helped solidify Harper's
musical rhythms and emotional diversity.
Harper's career gained momentum during 1998 and 1999. One
of his most successful albums to date, 1999's Burn to
Shine blended his fondness of '20s jazz compositions and
urban beatboxing, resulting in a clever and passionate
collection of songs. "Steal My Kisses" and "Suzie Blue"
were radio favorites, landing him two headlining world
tours and an opening spot on the Dave Matthews Band's
summer trek of 2000. In spring 2001, Harper issued Live
from Mars, a double disc of live electric and acoustic
material spanning the previous year's tour and including
covers of material by Led Zeppelin, the Verve, and Marvin
Gaye.
When it came to recording his fifth studio effort, Harper
went back to the drawing board. He'd circled the world
countless times and, naturally, he brashly sang about it
on the worldbeat-inspired Diamonds on the Inside, which
appeared in March 2003. After a European tour with the
Blind Boys of Alabama in 2004, the two acts entered the
studio together and laid down ten tracks in two different
sessions at Capitol Records' basement studios. The
resulting collaborative album (issued under the names of
both Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama), There WiIl Be
a Light, was released in September 2004, followed by the
concert CD/DVD package Live at the Apollo in 2005.
Eager to release more material, Harper returned to work
with the Innocent Criminals and issued the double album
Both Sides of the Gun in March 2006. The album reached
number seven on the Billboard album charts and rose to
number one in Australia. While touring in support of the
record, Harper and company began playing a new slew of
songs during their evening soundchecks, eventually
decamping to Paris and recording the material within one
week. The resulting products, Lifeline and Live at Twist
and Shout Records, were issued in 2007. For his 2009 album
White Lies for Dark Times, Harper recorded with the band
Relentless7, the members of whom had previously worked
with Harper on the track "Serve Your Soul" from Both Sides
of the Gun. Harper and the Relentless 7 recorded Live At
Montreal International Jazz Festival in July of 2009; the
album was released in March of 2010.
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